241 | The difference between home and cafe baristas

The OXO Rapid Brewer was a phemonena that needs to be studied. A company not known for creating stellar coffee gear launched a piece of coffee equipment that has us coffee enthusiasts mind blown. It has made us rethink ratios, brew times, and brewing styles. In this episode we talk about the ORB, the style of coffee it makes, and how we've found best results with it.Pick up our coffee here: https://mirrorcoffeeroasters.com/Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mirrorcoffeeroasters/Mirror Coffee Roasters is a specialty coffee roaster located in Bellingham, WA

Coffee people use a lot of words that can sound really confusing, complicated, and like you're learning a new language. In this episode, we simplify the terms you're likely to hear on public forums, youtube videos, and around coffee enthusiasts. The hope is that this helps you wrap your head around some of these terms and make them a little easier to understand.Pick up our coffee here: https://mirrorcoffeeroasters.com/Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mirrorcoffeeroasters/Mirror Coffee Roasters is a specialty coffee roaster located in Bellingham, WA

We’ve all been there where we buy a bag of coffee and it’s just overdeveloped and outside of your preferred style. Is the coffee lost for good or are there things we can do to make it better? Although there is no way to totally save a coffee not roasted to your preference, but there are a few things you can try to make the most of the situation. Pick up our coffee here: https://mirrorcoffeeroasters.com/Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mirrorcoffeeroasters/Mirror Coffee Roasters is a specialty coffee roaster located in Bellingham, WA

Sourcing green coffee is one of the most important parts of running a coffee roasting company. Although it may seem as simple as trying coffee and placing an order, there's a lot more going on and a lot of risk you're managing. In this episode, we reflect back on a few challenges we faced this year with green coffee and share what it's like dealing with hiccups in the supply chain.Pick up our coffee here: https://mirrorcoffeeroasters.com/Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mirrorcoffeeroasters/Mirror Coffee Roasters is a specialty coffee roaster located in Bellingham, WA

At this point, making coffee at home has turned into more than a caffeine hit. Home baristas have high end equipment, physics books on extraction, and the time and patience to perfect their morning cups. That is not the same as brewing coffee behind bar and there's a huge difference between the two. In this episode, we talk about why home baristas are pushing the coffee industry forward and why being a barista requires more skills than just making coffee.Pick up our coffee here: https://mirrorcoffeeroasters.com/Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mirrorcoffeeroasters/Mirror Coffee Roasters is a specialty coffee roaster located in Bellingham, WA

Many people dream of getting a home espresso machine for their kitchen. At first glance, it feels like bringing a cafe home and having the power to make a drink whenever you want without the price tag. That sounds dreamy, but when you start realistically looking at all it takes to get great espresso at home, it's not so romantic. In this episode we unpack the pros and cons of building at an espresso setup at home and whether getting a machine is the right choice for you.Pick up our coffee here: https://mirrorcoffeeroasters.com/Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mirrorcoffeeroasters/Mirror Coffee Roasters is a specialty coffee roaster located in Bellingham, WA

One of the biggest complaints we hear about pour overs in coffee shops is that they're inconsistent and oftentimes not worth the added price tag. It's not because of coffee, but because of brewing. It's hard to train a team of baristas to nail every pour over every time. In this episode, we talk about a few ways we can make pour overs easier while increasing consistency and maintaining quality.Pick up our coffee here: https://mirrorcoffeeroasters.com/Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mirrorcoffeeroasters/Mirror Coffee Roasters is a specialty coffee roaster located in Bellingham, WA

Depending on a coffee’s roast level, coffee tastes best at different resting periods after the roast date. Coffees that are roasted light and lighter usually need 3+ weeks to taste best, but that does complicate things when you always want to coffees at their peak. In this episode, we discuss a few helpful tips that can keep your home coffee bar stocked and tasting best.Pick up our coffee here: https://mirrorcoffeeroasters.com/Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mirrorcoffeeroasters/Mirror Coffee Roasters is a specialty coffee roaster located in Bellingham, WA

About a week ago, a new paper was published on the use of cyclical voltammetry to read a coffee's TDS and roast level. It has the potential to make a huge difference in how roasters and coffee drinkers exchange information, achieve consistency, and standardize quality. Read the full paper here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-71526-5Pick up our coffee here: https://mirrorcoffeeroasters.com/Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mirrorcoffeeroasters/Mirror Coffee Roasters is a specialty coffee roaster located in Bellingham, WA

Coffee processing has seen huge leaps forward in the last 10 years. It’s more innovative than ever and has made coffee taste better than ever. As processing is become more complex, their seems to be a greater lack of clarity, communication, and transparency. For many coffee drinkers, it’s become alarming. This is episode 236!Pick up our coffee here: https://mirrorcoffeeroasters.com/Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mirrorcoffeeroasters/Mirror Coffee Roasters is a specialty coffee roaster located in Bellingham, WA